Värttinä
“Iki”
(Northside)
Led by a female trio of vocalists, this Finnish ensemble celebrates their 20th anniversary with “Iki”. “Iki” is the “primal, eternal breath” and this album celebrates that sacred respiration by focusing on songs full of intertwined melody lines and minimally supported by acoustic folk instrumentation. Some songs, like “The Blacksmith’s Son”, offer a deep, indulgent beat and jazz feel. The group continues to evolve over time and still features vocalist Mari Kaasinen. The album also features producer Janne Haavisto, known for previously successful collaboration with the large, Nordic folk ensemble in ’90s albums such as “Aitara” and “Kokko”.
